


Bumi's Recruitment

by Crazy_not_insane (Queen_of_potatoes_and_Co_Angstalor), Queen_of_potatoes_and_Co_Angstalor



Category: Avatar: Legend of Korra, Avatar: The Last Airbender
Genre: F/M, Kidnapping, Misunderstandings, Temporary Amnesia
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-24
Updated: 2020-09-11
Packaged: 2021-03-06 14:10:06
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 5,910
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26090113
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Queen_of_potatoes_and_Co_Angstalor/pseuds/Crazy_not_insane, https://archiveofourown.org/users/Queen_of_potatoes_and_Co_Angstalor/pseuds/Queen_of_potatoes_and_Co_Angstalor
Summary: Bumi will forever be unsure of the first few days/weeks of his recruitment, that and a few old memories. All because the United Forces dropped him when they kidnapped him.
Relationships: (Background) Bato/Hakoda (Avatar), Aang/Katara (Avatar)
Comments: 4
Kudos: 32





	1. How it started

**Author's Note:**

> Hi guys! first ATLA/LOK story, sorry if I'm wrong in anything as I haven't watched the shows in a while.

It was a dark and stormy night…

Thunder rumbles and lightning strikes the ground near the docs.

“Oh boy, you think that it will hit one of our ships?” A fisherman asked his friend, who shook their heads.

“Nah,” They said “Probably won't even hit near them.”

Just as the friend finished those words, the lightning hit the ground between the friends two ships.

“Now that I think about it, maybe it would be better if we moved them elsewhere.” The friend said, sprinting to their ship followed by the other.

Meanwhile, as this was happening, a boy was celebrating his 18th birthday.

“Happy Birthday Bumi!” The Gaang and their kids said as the boy/man in question smiled and blew out the candles on his cake.

“Here, this one is from your father and myself.” Said Katara, giving her son a present that she and her husband brought.

“Wow! A new flute! And Southern Water Tribe music sheets! Thanks, Mom! Thanks, Dad!” Bumi said, grinning and hugging his parents, who happily hugged him back.

The night continued like that, with Bumi opening his presents and thanking his family for them, all happy.

Checking the time, Bumi faked a yawn as his parents talked with his aunt and uncles while his siblings talked with their cousins.

“I think I will head to bed,” Bumi said, getting up and walking towards the door.

“Already?” Asked Katara, raising an eyebrow before shrugging “Oh well, it  _ is  _ late.” She admitted, before turning to Bumi’s siblings and cousins, who were glaring at him “All of you, bed.”

Grumbling (and throwing some “Thank you Bumi.” at him), Bumi’s cousins and siblings followed him into the room hallway, where each went into their rooms.

Laying down, Bumi took off his shoes and covered himself with the blankets, knowing full well that he had to wait at least 30 minutes until he was good to go.

30 minutes later (and a check-up by his Mom and Dad to see if he was asleep), Bumi sat up, put his shoes on, opened the window, and jumped.

Grabbing a tree branch as he fell, Bumi climbed down the tree before quietly and subtly walking until he was at the beach.

“Hey! Bumi! Over here!” Shouted someone, drawing Bumi’s attention, who grinned when he saw his two friends, Kaito and Hoshi.

“Hey, guys! Thought you would come with the storm and all.” Bumi said, walking up to the boat his friends had.

“And lose your birthday? Oh no, come on, my older brother is controlling the boat! It will be safe, I promise!” Hoshi said, letting down the ramp.

Bumi smirked and got in.

Soon enough, they were safely on the Republic City

************************************************************

“You guys are soooo lucky, being of legal age!” Hoshi whined, crossing her arms.

“Come on ‘Shi, it’s just one more week.” Bumi said, before getting a small punch on his shoulder “Ow!”

Hoshi was about to say something when her brother called her.

“I have to go, sorry Bumi.” Hoshi said, before taking a wrapped blue present from her bag “Here.” She said, giving him the present “Bye guys! I'll come pick you up at midnight Bumi!” Then she sprinted towards her brother, who messed up her long hair making her stick her tongue at him.

Chuckling at the display, Bumi turned around and opened the present, only to discover that it was a small photo album full of photos of the three friends.

Looking up, Bumi raised an eyebrow at his other friend, who scoffed.

“I pay for our drinks, come on,” Kaito said, rolling his eyes before guiding Bumi into a bar.

“A beer and something for a beginner,” Kaito said, slapping on the counter the necessary money.

The bartender nodded, and began preparing their drinks while Bumi walked towards one of the faraway tables, making his hoddie was hiding his face (the ‘Non-bender son of the Avatar’ might be less known compared to his siblings, but still recognisable because of the stupid reporters [who cared that he got an F in a class? The teacher hated Dad and was working with terrorists, and all it took was to have Bumi to show some of his old tests at other masters of the subject and to do an exam to clear that he was an A+ student in that class, but noooooooooo, all that mattered was that he at first got an F]).

Walking over, Kaito said: "Still surprised that your parents let you come, I thought that they were too overprotective to let you out past 8 pm." before giving Bumi one of the drinks he was carrying.

Bumi snorted and raised an eyebrow.

"Well, they think I am asleep sooooooo." Was all that Bumi said, giving his friend a smirk and taking a sip from the drink and making a face at the taste.

"Wait, your parents don't know you are here?" Kaito asked, shocked before shaking his head and sighing in disbelief and pity "Man, you are so  _ dead _ , your parents are going to kill you."

"Nah, they will try to ground me." Bumi said, pointing a finger to his friend "But I'm  _ 18 _ , I can do what I want."

Kaito snorted, rolling his eyes.

"Your grave man, your grave." With this said, Kaito took a gulp from his beer.

They talked for a while, from Kaito's life away from his idiotic parents to the fact that Hoshi had a new boyfriend that didn't have a problem with her being a non-bender, to even the in-goings of the famous 'Team Avatar'.

"No way," Kaito said, staring in disbelief at his friend's story.

"Yeah, I thought that too, but apparently they were serious. I couldn't walk outside after dark or early mornings, and when going out at all I had at least six experienced guards and one of my parents plus someone walking ahead checking the streets and another on the rooftops overseeing any possible threats." Bumi said, recounting how his most recent trip to the fire nation was. Man, he knows someone trying to kill him was bad but he still thinks his parents went overkill.

"Hello boys, having fun?" An older man asked, walking up to them, stopping any conversation at the table.

"Yessir." Bumi and Kaito said at the same time, Bumi lowered his hoodie a bit (as it had moved) so it would hide his face better.

"So tell me, young men, what would you think of joining the United Forces?" The man asked, going straight to the point.

"Not interested," Kaito said, frowning in anger as he remembered his father.

Bumi shrugged.

"Heh, I would join but I don't think my parents would be happy with it."

The man sighed and nodded.

"Alright, thank you boys for the honesty." He said, before looking at the door, at a table he obviously once occupied (were a potato sack filled with something was currently laying on) and back at them.

"Would one of you mind helping me carry that sack to my car? I'm afraid I'm not as strong as I once was." The man asked, pointing with his thumb to the sack.

Looking at Kaito, Bumi saw that he was  _ clearly _ not going to help, so that fell on him.

Sighing, Bumi rose from his chair and said: "I will help."

"Ah, thank you, young man." The man said, grateful.

"You sure Bao?" Kaito asked, using Bumi's fake name when they wanted to go unnoticed by the reporter's.

"Yeah, I'm sure, besides," Bumi said, pointing with his thumb over his shoulder to the clock in the wall behind him "it's almost midnight so I should be going anyway."

"Alright, if you are sure…" Kaito said, looking suspiciously at the older man from the corner of his eye.

"I am," Bumi repeated before following the man to his table and grabbing the heavy sack.

"Oof." Bumi quietly let out, yeah, he could see why the man was having difficulties carrying it. He had suffered rigorous training from his family to make sure that if anyone against his parents attacked he would still be fine and he  _ still _ thought that it was heavy.

Bumi followed the man outside to his parked car, putting the sack in the truck (which had other, empty potato sacks in there).

Bumi passed an arm over his temple, trying to clean the sweat that had formed in it.

"There." He said.

"Thank you boy, and sorry." Said the man.

Before Bumi could ask him why he was sorry, someone threw a potato sack over his head, hiding him from the world from the waist upwards.

Instincts kicking in, Bumi let a few knives he had hidden in his forearms slid into his hands while taking a small step back and shoving his elbow into the person behind him.

Bumi heard someone huff as his elbow hit the target, but he paid no mind as he cut open the sack. Just as he was free, he felt himself spin a bit (darn it, there was an earthbender here wasn't it?) Bumi realized that he was knee-deep in the earth.

Trying to both not let the panic sink in and the memories from the last time he was stuck in the earth blind him, Bumi threw his knives at the older man, who was flanked by two other men, although younger.

The older man, however, was the (hopefully only) earthbender as he proved by making a rock wall appear from the ground, stopping the knives from hitting him.

Just as Bumi twisted around to try and hit the man behind him, he felt someone hit him in a small pressure point used to knock out people.

While the darkness and probably another potato sack welcomed him, Bumi's last thoughts were: ' _ Man, Mom and Dad are going to be  _ pissed.' and ' _ Goodbye freedom.' _

************************************

Bumi came to the world slowly.

Blinking his eyes open, Bumi came up to-

Nothing. It was too dark to see anything else.

Bumi huffed (although hard with something tied around his face and between his lips, muffling any sound), trying to note if he had any injuries and if he had if they needed immediate attention.

Moving his arms and his legs a bit, Bumi came to the conclusion that while he didn't have injuries, he had his hands, arms and legs tied up. That, and he no longer had any of his knives.

Mentally cursing, Bumi moved a bit, trying to at least loosen the knots of the rope binding him while trying to feel where he was.

He must have drawn some attention as he felt whatever he was being taken in (a car, possibly if he felt the vibrations correctly) stopped.

_ Yup, a car _ . Bumi thought hearing a car door open and close before someone (or more people if the footsteps were anything to go by) was walking towards where he was.

Someone must have opened the truck (Bumi at least assumed he was in a truck) as the outside sounds were a lot less muffled now.

"Well, guess our cadet woke up earlier than expected." Said a man, which Bumi quickly realized was the old man from before.

_ Cadet? Wait…I thought that the UF stopped recruiting people by kidnapping them! _

“Should we move him to the front to keep an eye on him, sir?” Asked another man.

_ So the old man is the one in charge, mmm mmmm _ Bumi thought.

“Probably for the best.” The older man said before Bumi felt someone grip the sack he was in.

“Oof, he’s heavy.” The older man said, much closer than before.

Bumi felt the man take a few more steps before he felt the man drop him, and Bumi felt himself roll down something as the sack burst open at the seams.

“ _ Spirits! _ ” Bumi heard the older man shouted, but paid it no mind.

The last thing Bumi knew was that 1) he hit his head,  _ hard _ , 2) he was pretty sure he was losing conscience, 3) the sack he was in was probably destroyed if the fact he could see the night sky was anything to go by, 4) the rope binding him was still intact and 5) he no longer felt the necklace that Uncle Zuko had given to him.

**************************************************

“What...gonna..Avatar’s kid...”

“No…..ice….non-bender….missed.”

Slowly, he came back to the world.

“Wha....” He asked before coughing.

Someone gave him a cup of water, which he drank eagerly.

“Who-Who are you? Where am I?” He asked, looking up before slowly coming to a realisation “Wait... _ Who am I? _ ”

“Ah, fuck.” One of the men in front of him said before looking behind him and saying: “I’m going to get the Captain and a Medic.” before sprinting away.

“Traitor.” The other man hissed, before forcing a smile into his face “Don’t worry,” He said, “everything will be alright.”

They waited for a few minutes before two more people came with the man from before, but one was a woman who immediately grabbed his head before turning his head to the sides, as if looking for something.

“Ah, hello boy, how are you feeling?” The older man (why did he seem so familiar?) that came with who he presumed was the medic asked.

“I’m fine, but who are you? Where am I? Who  _ am _ I for that matter?” He asked as a medic inspected his head.

“Your name...is Bao.” The man said, after a small pause.

“And we are in the United Forces boot camp, where you are a cadet.” The man continued, for some reason receiving an exasperated look from the doctor.

Bao(?) nodded, before glancing at the medic who was talking to someone else.

Huh, so he was a cadet...weird, he felt like that fact was wrong...

************************************************

“Mom! Dad!” Someone shouted, catching Katara and Aang’s attention.

“Yes, Tenzin?” Asked Aang at his eleven-year-old son.

“So I was practising flying in the glider near the City’s doc’s-” Tenzin started to say, but Aang interrupted him.

“Tenzin! I already told you to not fly in the city alone!” Aang lectured, already planning on taking Tenzin glider for a week as a punishment.

“I know! I know! And I’m sorry, I had the others watching so it’s fine, but I found something!” Tenzin said, desperate, “It has to do with Bumi!”

Katara and Aang perked up, Bumi had left last night and had still not returned (leaving them to plan how they were going to ground him and to worry over him).

“What do you mean?” Katara asked.

Before Tenzin could say anything, Kya and Izumi sprinted in.

“Mom! Dad! Look!” Kya said, taking something from her pocket and giving it to Katara.

“That’s Bumi’s necklace…” Aang said, looking over Katara’s shoulder.

“Blood.” Katara gasped, gesturing with her thumb at the red spots on the chain.

“There was blood all around where we found the necklace and pieces of cloth in tatters around it,” Tenzin said.

Aang and Katara looked at each other before looking at the kids, determined.

“Take us there,  _ now _ .”


	2. Investigations and dream talks

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It has been two weeks since Bumi was kidnapped.
> 
> It has been two weeks since Bao woke up without memories.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi! I see none of you comment on last chapter...but it's ok! I'm writing this to get the idea out of my head after all...although comments _do_ help...
> 
>  **Side Note:**  
>  For some reason, in the Kataang family photo, to me at least, Bumi doesn't look 10/9 like a lot of people say he does...so, here's my headcanon ages for this fic!  
>  ** _Bumi (II):_** 18 (as stated in the first chapter); Kya was born when he was 5, almost six, years-old; Tenzin was born when he was around seven-years-old, almost eight.  
>  ** _Kya (II):_** 13 (as stated in this chapter); Tenzin was born she was almost 3 years-old.  
>  ** _Tenzin:_** 11 (as stated in the first chapter).

Bao panted as he went through the training course, only now, two weeks after the Captain and his Lieutenants found him outside near the base (where he was attacked before being found if what they said/what the investigation was discovering was true) as the medics refused to let him out.

“COME ON YA PUNKS! MOVE IT!” Shouted the instructor, making the cadets run a bit faster.

At the end of the day, Bao was ready to scream at his past self for having chosen to enlist instead of finding a job.

Bao threw himself to his bed once he was in the barracks, making his roommates laugh.

“Hey, still no leads on the missing son of the Avatar.” Said one of the boys in the corner bed, looking at a newspaper.

“Really, nothing?” Asked another, near the first one.

“Nope, apparently the kidnappers tried to act like they were recruiters from the United Forces but everyone in the City was accounted for at that time.” Said the first boy, shrugging.

“Poor guy.” Said other, nearer to Bao “He’s basically defenceless with no bending isn’t he?”

The room stayed in awkward silence as Bao threw a pillow at the idiot, everyone knowing that Bao was a non-bender left at the orphanage because of that fact.

“Just because the kid as no powers doesn’t mean that he is defenceless.” Bao stated, angry, before turning around in the bed and shifting a bit so he was under the covers “I’m going to sleep.” He declared, using his arm as a pillow as he didn’t want to deal with the stupid idiot, even if it was just to get his pillow back.

He was out in seconds.

*********************************************************

( _ “Bumi...” A man called… _

_ Bao opened his eyes. He was...in a hallway? _

_ He looked around, slowly opening a door in the left, coming face to face with an orange, older teenager (young adult?) room if the contents in it were anything to go by. Bao walked around the room for a bit, reading the book titles and generally looking around but just as he was about to change the position of a photo frame he could look at it properly, he heard some walk down the hallway. _

_ “Bumi...” The voice called again, making Bao jump. The person was a lot closer than before. _

_ Suddenly, he felt a hand on his shoulder. _

_ Turning around, the last thing he did was a pair of glowing eyes. _

_ “D-” _ )

***********************************************

Aang slowly came out of the Avatar State, as he was using it to try and contact his son via his dreams.

“So, anything?” Asked softly Katara, grabbing his hands.

It had been two weeks after their son was kidnapped after he left the house on his birthday. There wasn’t a lot to go out on, as all Bumi’s friends could tell them wasn’t enough to help them pin down anything other than possible suspects.

( _ “Kaito, what happened that night with Bumi?” Toph asked, leaning towards. _

_ “Not a lot Madam, we only were drinking a small beer and something for beginners, just as Bumi prepared to leave to meet up with Hoshi, as she and her brother were taking him back to the temple, a man came up to us and asked us if we were willing to join the United Forces, we said no but then he asked if any of us could help him carry a sack to his car. Bumi volunteered as he was going to leave and that’s the last time I saw him.” Kaito explained, his back straight. _

_ “What about the man? Anything you can tell us about him that could help us find him?” Asked Toph, eager to get a clue to help find her nephew. _

_ Sadly, Kaito shook his head. _

_ “Not really, he was old, but he was using a rain jacket, a scarf that hid part of his face, a winter bonnet and some aviator goggles so I couldn’t get a proper look at his face.” Kaito said before adding something (clearly trying to be helpful) “He was short, however.” _

_ \------------------ _

_ “Hello Hoshi-” Started to say Aang, but she cut him off. _

_ “I’m so sorry to hear about what happened Mister Avatar sir.” She said, with tears in her eyes as she grabbed one of his hands. _

_ “Don’t worry, can you tell us anything that could help the investigation?” Aang asked, hoping to find  _ anything _ that could help. _

_ “N-No, I’m sorry.” She said, “I only talked with him when my brother, Kaito and I went to get him, I only had time to give him my present -a small blue photo album- before my brother and I had to go back home.” She explained, before quickly adding “We were supposed to meet at midnight to take him back but he didn’t appear -we must have waited uhhhh, around 30 minutes or so I think?- anyways, we assumed that he either found a different way back or called you or Master Katara to get him or crashed at Kaito’s place.” _

_ Aang sighed, worried for his son while Toph told her that one of her men had found a photo album near the crime scene and that they needed her to check to see if it was the one she gave Bumi. (It was.)) _

Aang shook his head, clearing his mind.

“No, I’m sorry Katara. I was close but...” Aang trailed off and sighed, ashamed that he couldn’t even find his own son.

Before they could say anything else however, they heard a knock on their room’s door.

Katara quickly rose and opened the door.

Outside it was Kya, their thirteen-year-old daughter, with signs that she had been crying recently (which Aang was sure broke Katara’s heart like it did with his). However, she had a hopeful smile on her face.

“Mom! Dad! Aunt Toph is here!” Kya said before he said, “She’s in the living room.”

Katara and Aang nodded, giving a quick hug to Kya before leaving.

*********************************************

“Toph! Hello! Did you find anything?” Katara asked, as she ran into the room, quickly followed by Aang.

Toph sighed from the couch (where she was seated) before rising and giving them a box she was carrying.

“We found them near the bar where Kaito said Bumi and him were at,” Toph said as Aang opened the box to reveal…

Bumi’s knives. Knives that Mai had given him for his thirteenth birthday.

Katara felt tears appear in her eyes as Toph continued.

“We found them the day Kaito’s interrogation took place. It took awhile for us to run all the tests we could to try and find any clue but we found nothing other than Bumi was the last one to use them.” Toph said regretfully as Aang looked to the side, tears running down his face.

“Is there anything else we can try to find him?” Katara asked, desperately.

Toph shook her head sadly.

“No, not even the newspapers are helping, they put the reports small and not even in the first place. I  _ told _ you guys shouldn’t have revealed he was a non-bender to the world, the people don’t care about him that way.”

“Toph not now.” Said Aang quietly but firmly.

“Look, I’m sorry but you know I am right and now with the rumours-” Toph cut herself off at the last word.

“What rumours?” Katara asked. When Toph didn’t answer, Katara asked again, but more firmly.

“Toph,  _ what rumours _ ?”

Toph gave a resigned sigh before talking.

“Look Sugar Queen and Twinkletoes, people  _ talk _ , now. What they talk about is what matters.” Toph said, before taking a deep breath “‘The non-bender is not actually the Avatar’s kid, the waterbender had an affair with Fire Lord Zuko and that’s where the kid comes from.’ ‘The non-bender kid was an accident from Ambassador Sokka and the Avatar and his Wife took the kid in when the Ambassador refused to do so’ ‘The non-bender ran away from home and the Team Avatar is too embarrassed to confess’ ‘The Team Avatar killed the kid and just made the whole the kid being kidnapped was a rouse’.” Toph quoted before sighing once again, this time she appeared more tired “There are even people saying that you are only looking for him so your image doesn’t get ruined and others saying that looking for him is useless because he is a non-bender.”

“How dare they!” Shouted Katara angrily as Aang held himself back from snapping into the Avatar State with how furious he was. Meanwhile, every water in the room literally froze at Katara’s anger.

“Look, I’m sorry people say these things and see it that way, but the Team will be on your side, we will help as much as we can,” Toph said.

“Toph… can you leave us for a second?” Asked Aang, with his eyes closed while holding tightly on the box with Bumi’s knives.

Toph nodded.

“I will show myself out, my lunch break is almost over anyway.” She said, raising a hand as a goodbye when she left.

The moment she left, Aang and Katara hugged each other and cried.

Their son was missing, and people didn’t care.

****************************************************

“Yo Bao, you alright?” Asked one of his roommates as Bao slowly returned from the dream world.

“Yeah, I’m alright. Why did you ask?” Bao asked, rubbing his scratching his head as he yawned.

“You were turning around a lot in your sleep, and mumbling stuff.” Said another roommate.

“Really? What?” Asked Bao, curious.

“Mostly book names, you said ‘Dad’ though.” Said the first roommate.

Bao rubbed his head. Man, he must have been reliving one of his old memories…

Sad he didn’t remember it.

Oh well…it was probably for the best.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you guys like it!
> 
> The idea that people think that Bumi (II) is Sokka's son is actually from the story **_Perfection_** by TheRoseyOne (here's the link if you want to check it out (which I recomend!):https://www.archiveofourown.org/works/15000935/chapters/34768304).
> 
> As usual, don't forget to comment or to send me an ask to my tumblr (@mrfandomwars or if you want the link:http://mrfandomwars.tumblr.com/). Although, if you want to comment AND send an ask, then feel free to do so!


	3. Bumi!?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Bumi gets back to his family.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi guys! Sorry for the wait!
> 
> Anyway, I hope you like it!

Bao stretched, getting ready for the day.

He had just returned from the boot camp and was now in the Republic City for an Academy for further training. And he was going to use his first free day to go out in the City before he was too tired to do soo.

Finally getting done, he left, saying ‘Goodbye!’ to his roommate as he got out of his room.

“Oh, hey Captain!” Greeted Bao, when he was near the main exit, waving his hand at his Commanding officer who was walking in.

“Oh- Ah, hello Bao! Where are you going?” Asked the Captain, stopping and leaning a bit too much into Bao’s personal space.

As he was already used to it, Bao happily answered: “I’m going to the City! It’s my first day off so I want to use it.”

The Captain paled at those words, before getting a frown in his face.

“I’m afraid that I can’t let you do that.” The Captain stated, removing himself from Bao’s space and crossed his arms.

At that answer, Bao blinked in shock and confusion.

“Why not?” Bao asked, slightly hurt at that notion. He did nothing that would award him to lose the free weekends, did he? The instructors said nothing at least…

“Well, the Republic City is a very dangerous place for non-benders, and you were already attacked once before.” The Captain said, grabbing his hat messing with it while looking at it “So no visits to the CIty for you.”

“But-” Bao tried to argue, but the Captain cut him off.

“No buts Private Bao, my decision is  _ final _ . Understood?” The Captain asked in a firm tone.

Bao sighed and looked down, saying “Sir, yes, sir!” before staying still as the Captain walked away.

The moment that the Captain’s footsteps faded away, Bao looked up and checked around him. When he saw that no one was there, he smirked and spirited away, towards the exit and the outside world.

Yeah, it might get him in trouble and ban him from leaving the Academy in the future and get in his report, but by Spirits, he was going to go out even if it was the last thing he did!

*********************************************

Bao walked around the City (in empty/near empty parts so that there was less chance of him crossing paths with someone who knew him), an amazed look on his face as he looked around.

Oooooooh, he didn't regret leaving against orders! Spirits! Was that a candy sto-

That line of thought was stopped as Bao crashed against someone.

“Ugh, sorry...” Bao said, rubbing his head, from the ground.

“It’s fine, just pay more attenti-Bumi?” Asked the man, also from the ground.

Bao took a proper look at the man he had run into.

_ Oh no _ .

Oh boy, Bao cursed mentally, that was  _ The Avatar _ (as evident by the blue arrow tattoo in his head that was revealed by the hat he was wearing revealing enough as it had moved when he fell) who Bao crashed into.

“I-I’m so sorry sir! I-I wasn’t looking where I was going and-” Bao said but cut himself off as the Avatar squished his face.

“Bumi…?” Asked the Avatar as his eyes started to water.

“Um, my name is not Bumi, sir, it’s Bao.” Bao stated, blinking, as his head started to hurt (not enough to cause too much pain but to notice).

“Dear, let me see-” Said a woman -Master Katara? Why was she also wearing a hat and those weird clothes?- as she knelt beside them before gasping.

Before Bao could ask what was wrong, Avatar Aang removed his hands from Bao’s face as Master Katara’s hand got covered in water and started to glow before touching his temples.

Bao hissed as his headache started to worsen.

“Sorry, sorry Bumi.” Whispered Mo-Master Katara as he felt arms circle around him.

Soon enough, Bu-Bao held back a screamed before he fell into the hold of darkness and lost conscience.

***************************************************

Bumi slowly woke up, groaning before opening his eyes.

_ Where was he...? _ , Bumi thought, looking around and coming to the realization that he was between his parents before sighing and leaning more into them.

“Mhm...Bumi?” Asked his mother, slowly woke up.

“Hey, Mom...” Bumi greeted softly, giving a small smile.

“Bumi! You are awake!” Mom said sitting up as Dad slowly stirred awake, tightening his hold on Bumi.

“Wha...” Said Dad, blinking awake.

“Do you feel any pain in your head?” Asked Mom, lightly touching Bumi’s temples, who flinched as a headache made itself known, making Bumi lean more into his Dad and said person tighten his hold.

“Sorry, dear.” Mom said, taking the hand from Bumi’s temple, who slowly nodded.

“It’s fine...” Bumi said as his Dad hugged him a bit tighter.

Before anyone could say anything else, the door opened, revealing Aunt Toph and Uncle Sokka.

“Glad to see you guys weren’t having a nightmare again.” Aunt Toph said, kicking the ground slightly, indicating she was keeping an eye (well, foot) on them while they were asleep.

“Hey Aunt Toph, hey Uncle Sokka.” Bumi said as they neared the bed.

“Hey, kid.” Uncle Sokka said, sitting at the end of the bed “How are you feeling?” He asked, patting Bumi’s leg.

“Tired.” Answered Bumi, closing his eyes for a bit.

“Right, you can sleep later kid, right now we need you to tell us who kidnapped you and what they did to you.” Aunt Toph said, causing Bumi to open his eyes and frown. 

Who had kidnapped him…?

As if something had been unlocked, Bumi remembered the past weeks making him sit up in a flash.

“Those little-” Bumi started to say, before cutting himself off to stop himself from swearing in front of his parents, aunt and uncle.

Falling back down, Bumi threw his hands over his eyes and let out an annoyed “Ugh.”.

“Bumi…?” Asked his Dad, sounding concerned.

“It was the United Forces.” Bumi said, removing the hands and opening his eyes “They kidnapped me to recruit me and in the process gave me amnesia. If you can get me a list of the ones that were in the bounty camp and returned to the Republic City in the, uh, last week will be able to tell you who was responsible.” 

“We will get right to it, now rest.” Uncle Sooka said, rising from the bed, as Aunt Toph nodded before they left.

Bumi closed his eyes again and sighed, leaning into his Dad, who hugged him again.

“Bumi, I will check your head alright?” Asked Mom, to which Bumi nodded, feeling the headache fade away as hands touched his head.

Man, he is glad he left the Academy today.

******************************************

Bumi leaned more into the couch, tired, it was three days since he got back and it had been etic, from identifying his kidnappers, suing the United Forces, going to the hospital so that his Mom could check him with better equipment, between other events.

Bumi was drawn out of his thoughts as he heard the door open and someone runs in the direction of the living room.

Before he could get up to greet the people who entered his home, the door of the living room opened and his kid siblings threw themselves at him.

“Bumi!” They shouted near his ear as Bumi hugged them tightly, wincing at the loud voices.

“Sorry!” Said Kya and Tenzin, letting him go for a moment.

“How was your trip?” Asked Bumi, changing the subject, remembering that his parents had said that Kya and Tenzin had gone almost two weeks ago to spend some time with Grandpops Bato and Granddad Hakoda while they(his parents) tried to find him with the help of his aunts and uncles.

“It was so much fun!” Kya said, before adding “But we wanted to be here when you returned.” She said, before hugging him again.

“You weren’t hurt too badly, were you?” Asked Tenzin, with a concerned look on his face.

“Yeah, I’m fine, I just can’t do anything too taxing for a while and have to take a few medications, other than that Mom has been checking on me daily to see if I’m getting better.” Bumi answered.

“So, don’t we get a hug?” Asked someone from the doorway, causing Bumi to look up and see Grandpops Bato and Granddad Hakoda (who was leaning into his cane).

“Sorry, I have my hands full at the moment.” Bum said apologetically as Tenzin returned to hug him.

Grandpops Bato chuckled and said: “It’s alright kid, don’t worry.”

“Bato! Dad!” Greeted someone behind the two adults, who turned around, revealing Katara (who hugged them immediately) and Aang, who nodded in greeting and shook their hands.

“Hello, Katara.” Hakoda greeted, hugging his daughter back as she asked how he was.

They soon were all talking about nothing and everything, smiling and laughing at jokes.

Just as Bumi started to doze off, Tenzin asked him something that made him alert.

“How did they keep you with them?” He asked, tilting his head to the side slightly.

“Well, um, I had amnesia, so they just had to lie and stuff.” Bumi said, uncomfortable, not looking at anyone in the eye.

“Well, what did they say?” Insisted Tenzin, frowning at the dodged question as the other quieted down and shared concerned looks.

“Ah, nothing important, just that my name was ‘Bao’ and that I before lived in an orphanage because, Uhm.” Bumi looked aside, moving one of his hands to rub his neck, nervous, not knowing how to say the next part “T-They said that I was left at an orphanage because our parents didn’t want a non-bending kid.” He blurted out. 

Soon after he finished those words, the room fell into an awkward silence for a few moments before he heard footsteps walk near to the couch.

Out of nowhere, he felt arms encircle him, as Kya moved her hand around his face, making Bumi realize that he was crying.

“Well, they are stupid.” His Mom stated, “We would  _ never _ give you up, non-bender or not.”

“Exactly.” Dad agreed, hugging them tightly before Bumi’s grandparents joined the hug.

He was back, and he was happy.

(He should check in with his old roommates though, and is he still enrolled in the United Forces if his kidnappers used a fake name?)

(He soon discovered that they had enrolled him with his real name, meaning he had to complete the training, much to his family protests.)

  
(It was kind of fun...maybe he can use this as his career, he  _ would  _ be helping people and bringing peace, wouldn’t he?)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hoped you guys liked it, I hope it didn't feel like it was a rushed ending.😅
> 
> Anywho, don't forget to comment and/or to send an ask in my Tumblr! (@mrfandomwars).

**Author's Note:**

> I hope you guys like it! Don't forget to comment and if you have any question, either ask me in my tumblr (https://mrfandomwars.tumblr.com) or in the comments!


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